Review: Moonspell – Night Eternal [2008]

Thanks in part to an exceptional production by metal guru Tue Madsen, Portuguese metal giants Moonspell have struck the perfect balance of clarity and brutality on their latest endeavor Night Eternal. This nine-track descent into darkness yields an intense ride, chock full of dastardly black metal chord progressions, ethreal Gothic rock passages, and the authentic warmongering spirit of bands ranging from Celtic Frost to Dimmu Borgir on tracks such as “First Light” and “Shadow Sun.” Add in the trademark venomous vocal delivery, whose scornful array of evil highlighted on tracks such as “Moon in Her Mercury” fits beautifully with the blackened melodies, and this veteran act’s latest metallic maelstrom is a must have for those entrenched in the catacombs of despair. www.spv.de –Mike SOS